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#BizVoiceExtra: Hanapin Hits No. 1

I discovered that firsthand with an entertaining visit to Hanapin Marketing, a digital marketing agency that specializes in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. The Bloomington-based company earned the top spot on the 2018 Best Places to Work in Indiana list (small employer category).

“We love to show off our space!” declared a grinning Jamie Newton, senior communications manager. The work environment is open, with very few closed offices. Walls and décor are colorful, much like employees’ personalities.

Images of a dark-haired superhero adorn desks, bookshelves and walls. His identity is quickly revealed: he’s the mascot for Hero Conf – the world’s largest all-PPC conference. Hosted annually by Hanapin, it consists of events in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

“I always say we never take ourselves seriously, but we take the work very seriously,” reflects president Jeff Allen. “It’s a very humble culture. You would never guess some of the talented people we have around and the some of the really big, important things they’re doing because they’re having fun, enjoying it and hopefully not stressing out too much about it!”

Hanapin was founded in 2004. When Allen joined the team in 2011, there were 13 employees. Today, there are approximately 70.

Among them is millennial Kass Botts, a paid social account manager.

“There’s a community aspect to Hanapin,” she comments. “I love doing the digital marketing work for sure, but what makes Hanapin special to me especially compared to other companies I’ve worked for is that there are a lot of things to get involved in internally and interdepartmentally.”

Fun activities such as cave exploring and a “Yoga With Goats” session help build rapport.